Hundreds picket for Safe Staffing at NY Methodist

NY Methodist nurses have filed more than 3,000 protest of assignment for safety concerns and unsafe staffing levels this year. On Monday, hundreds of us took our fight for Safe Staffing to the streets of Park Slope for an informational picket outside the hospital.

Methodist RNs are insisting on enforceable and safe staffing levels, in a signed agreement with management. “We give 100% toward maintaining the safest environment for our patients. Our patients deserve better, and we call on Methodist to have a real discussion on safe staffing that addresses the level of care our patients need and deserve,” said Maria Arizmendi, an RN and elected leader of NYSNA at Methodist.

This year, an independent arbitrator sided with nurses and said NY Methodist violated minimum staffing levels in the NYSNA union contract. “We are fed up and we won’t take it any more. I know that by sticking together we will win,” said Irving Campbell, an RN and member of the NYSNA leadership at Methodist.

Patients and neighbors honked, waved, and showed their support. “We are united with our patients and our community for Safe Staffing,” said Gina Cafaro, a NICU RN and NYSNA leader at Methodist.

Methodist RNs are part of a team of more than 18,000 nurses across the metro New York area, working together to bargain enforceable staffing language in our contracts this winter. “Uptown, downtown, and in Brooklyn – hospital executives have created a staffing crisis. It’s time to fix it,” Anthony Ciampa, an RN at Presbyterian, told the picket. Ciampa is an elected member of the NYSNA Board of Directors. Nurses from Kings County, Kingsbrook Jewish, Brooklyn Hospital, and Interfaith joined the picket, too.

Our speakout made headlines on News 12 and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. And check out photos on NYSNA’s Facebook page and Twitter.